How Does An Electric Fence Work?

How does an electric fence work? Electric fences form a barrier to keep dogs and other animals like horses and cattle confined so they cannot escape. They can be used around a small or large outdoor space.

Electric fences work through a contraption called an energizer that creates high voltage waves across two terminals. These waves are very quick and continue every couple of seconds. Once the terminals are connected then the animal is connected through them by the wire fencing. If the animal gets too close to the fence, a voltage wave passes through the muscle of the animal, making it tighten. This does not feel good to the animal and encourages them to stay away from the fence. The animal learns through repeated experience how close it can get while still avoiding contact with the wire fencing. This is how an electric fence works to keep an animal within a certain boundary.

A properly installed electric fence works to keep your animals all together in a particular space. Sometimes animals have thick fur on their bodies, which can keep an electric fence from working effectively. An animal’s thick fur can keep it from feeling the voltage waves sent by an electric fence, so an electric fence may need a higher amount of voltage for the animals to feel that it is working. Depending on what type of animal you are confining, the voltage may need to be adjusted. If the voltage is right, it will be more effective in keeping the animals inside the fencing. Learning more about how an electric fence works is the first step in keeping your animals and livestock safe and secure.